Ask Marie: My colleague is too loud

Marie O’Riordan: “Your feelings of frustration lie at the root of your distraction and not the boorish voice itself”DAVID BEBBER FOR THE TIMES

Q There’s a person who sits near me at work who has an extremely loud, boorish voice. It distracts me and drives me mad. What can I do?

A Unless you are your own boss, the workplace is not somewhere you can control and the only way you can truly effect change is by adjusting your attitude. Allowing yourself to tune in to the voice is your first mistake — you need to start practising the art of mindfulness. This will involve focusing on your own tasks to the exclusion of all distractions. It will not only help you in this instance but will be crucial if you want to make progress in your career.

Your feelings of frustration lie at the root of your distraction and not the boorish voice itself

Demonstrating to your colleagues and bosses that you have iron…

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